Minnesota fires Tubby Smith after loss to Florida

Former UK coach out after six seasons

Published 2:24 PM EDT Mar 25, 2013

MINNEAPOLIS -

Minnesota has fired Tubby Smith one day after the Golden Gophers lost to Florida in the NCAA tournament.

A person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press that Smith was fired on Monday. The person requested anonymity because a decision has not been announced. CBSsports.com first reported the firing.

Smith spent six seasons with the Gophers, helping to bring the program back to respectability. He arrived in 2007 from Kentucky, immediately ramping up expectations for a team that had been buried by an academic cheating scandal.

Smith won 20 games five times. But he went just 46-62 in Big Ten play and never finished higher than sixth in the conference. The Gophers made three NCAA tournament appearances under Smith. They beat UCLA this year before losing on Sunday.

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